1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a slide fastener stringer having a woven tape and a row of helically coiled fastener elements woven into the tape along a longitudinal edge thereof simultaneously as the tape is woven.
2. Prior Art
It has been heretofore proposed to utilize a weaving apparatus or loom for producing a continuous length of slide fastener stringer comprised of a support tape woven simultaneously with the weaving of a row of successive fastener elements typically of a helical coil structure into and along one longitudinal edge of the tape. An advanced apparatus has incorporated an additional or second reed separate from the main tape weaving reed for beating coiled fastener elements successively up into proper position on the tape edge. A typical example of such apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-35964 in which the second reed is arranged to operate in synchronism with the main reed and located externally of a mandrel so as to beat up the fastener elements adjacent their coupling head portions in alignment with the fell of the woven tape. This prior art device however has a drawback in that simultaneous beating-up operation of the main and second reeds would impart severe repeated shock upon that portion of the mandrel which lies therebetween at the fell of the tape, resulting in deformed on otherwise damaged mandrel hence with fastener elements deformedly shaped thereon, and further in that since the fastener elements are beaten up at the sides of their coupling head portions successively one against another, they are prone to shift off in the longitudinal direction of the tape and settle in slanted position relative to the plane of the tape, leading to malfunctioning of the slide fastener.